Start early, parents of autistic children say

Oct. 8, 2012

Written by

For the News-Leader

Families should begin preparing for the transition as soon as a child is diagnosed with autism and never let up, said Dawn Rethman, who has a 15-year-old son with autism.

She is active in the Southwest Missouri Autism Network support group and has been involved in the Springfield Special Education Parent Teacher Association.

Parents must help their children at home and advocate strongly for them in school, Rethman said. They must not only lobby for needed services but also make sure the school is challenging students sufficiently, she said.

“It’s so easy to slide through these years, not realizing the consequences of not doing a good job,” she said.

The experience of Elizabeth Obrey and her family underscores the value of Rethman’s mindset. Obrey has three children with autism, the oldest of whom received early intensive therapy for severe behaviors including screaming fits and head banging. The daughter progressed to a point where she stopped receiving services by fourth grade.

“We were very conscientious parents and watched and helped her through a lot,” Obrey said.